Automatic fan.



No. 708,443. Patented sept; 2,1902.

J. n. wlLLmms.

AUTOMATIC FAN.

catio (Appl n led Oct. 29, 1901.)

(No Model.)

A TTORNE YS j vertically and provided with blades b. The

on the shaft.

` iINirnn Y Srn'rns iPnfrnNr @trici-C,

JEFF DAVIS VILLIAMS, OF DENNIG, ARKANSAS.

AUTOMATIC FAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 708,443, datedSeptember 2, 1902,

Application led October 29,1901.

To all whom t nza/y concern:

Be it known thatI, JEFF Davis WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Denning, in the county of Franklin and State of Arkansas,have made certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Fans, ofwhich the following is a specification.

, My invention is an improvement in that class of automatic fans whichare designed to be placed upon tables or any other suitable supports indining-rooms, sick-rooms, and other places for creating a breeze of airand driving away iiies and other troublesome insects.

The chief features of novelty are the means for supporting the fan-shaftand securing it detachably and for adjusting the fan-blades The detailsof construction, arrangement, and operation are as hereinafterdescribed, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l isa perspective view of my improved fan. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section ofthe fan-case inclosing the main parts of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is an endView of a portion of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective Viewof parts by which the fan-shaft is supported in working'position.

a indicates a fan-shaft which is arranged said shaft is supportedbymeans hereinafter described and is rotated automatically by means ofspring-actuated gearing c, such as ordinarily employed for drivingclocks, and which therefore requires no detailed description. The springot' the said gear is wound up by means of a wrench or key applied to thepost d. The frame e of the apparatus consists, principally, of twoskeleton plates arranged horizontally parallel, the gearing 'c beingarranged between them in a well-known man- The fan-shaft d is stepped inthe lower plate of the frame atj' and is journaled at a higher point orjust above the upper plate of the frame in a bearing formed of twoplates or bars g and g. The shorter bar g is riveted to the upper plateof the frame, and the longer one, g', is pivoted on the opposite side ofthe same. The shorter bar g is provided with a groove in one side nearits end to receive the shaft a, and the free end of the pivoted barSerial No. 80,446. (No model.)

g/ is so shaped as to iit closely against such portion of the bar g, soas to hold the shaft in place when 'secured Vby means of a sliding linkor keeper 7L. In other words, the meeting ends of the bars form,practically, a scarfjoint, and one of them is tapered. The keeper isarranged on the shorter bar g and adapted to slide over the tapered endof the pivoted bar g', so as to lock the two firmly together. The shafta is provided with a collare'I (see Fig. 3) at a point directly belowits upper bearing, so that when the parts g g are locked together theshaft is held in its bearings, both as to vertical and lateral motion.The lantern-pinion j, fixed on the lower portion of the fan-shaft d,meshes with the outer driving-gear of the clockwork c. It is apparentthat by sliding the keeper h backward or away from the fan-shaft d thelatter may be readily adj usted when it is required for any purposeHas,for instance, to pack the machine for shipment or storage-and byreversing the operation the fan-shaft is as readily set in place foroperation.

The fan-blades b may be constructed of any light material. They areattached to the shaft byA means of hooks or clasps Z, formed on theirinner ends, the said hooks engaging stirrups or links m, which are fixedon the shaft at a suitable elevation above the frame e of the apparatus.On the upper end of the shaft d are fixed laterally diverging anddownwardly-curved arms n, provided with hooks o at their outer ends.These arms are not arranged in the same vertical plane with the links m,butin planes which are radially at an angle of ten degrees to fifteendegrees to each other. The blades are connected with the free ends ofthe arms detachably and adjustably by means of cords or chains p. By thearrangement of the arms in a different plane from the links the chainsor cords p extend vertically at an inclination, as shown in thedrawings, and the joints of the blades with the links are thereforerelieved of torsional strain, which would otherwise occur by reason ofair-pressure on the blades. It is apparent that the blades b may be heldat any desired elevation-say forty-five degreesor horizontal by means ofthe cords or chains p, sincethe latter may be taken up or adjusted inlength, as conditions may require.

IOO

The fan-blades I9' and the cords or chains being detachable from theirsupports they may be packed along with the shaft and the remainder ofthe apparatus, so as to occupy the least possible space.

The apparatus may be set upon a diningtable or upon any support adjacentto a sickbed or an invalids chair, or in a barber-shop or any otherplace Where a breeze is required, either for driving away iies and otherinsects or for the comfort of individuals. All that is necessary to setthe apparatus in operation is to Wind up the spring of the clockgear c,as before described.

What I claim isl. In an automatic fan of the class described, comprisingspring driving-gear, a

rigid frame in Which the same is mounted, a

fancarrying shaft having a collar fixed thereon, and a detachablebearing for said shaft, composed of two bars arranged horizontally onthe upper portion of the frame, one of them being pivoted and the otherxed, and their meeting ends being scarfed as described, and the slidablekeeper, for locking the bars together, as shown and described.

2. In an improved automatic fan of the class described, the combination,With the fan-shaft having links and arms fixed thereon at differentpoints, fan -blades adapted for attachment to said links, and adjustabledevices connecting the blades with the arms and serving to support themin the manner shown and described.

3. In an automatic fan of the class described, the combination, with thefan-shaft, having links and arms fixed thereon at different elevations,of fan-blades which are detachably engaged With the links, cords ortheir equivalent connecting the fan-blades with the outer ends of thesaid arms, and adapted to be shortened or extended for the purpose ofadjusting the angle of the blades, substantially as shown and described.

4. In an improved automatic fan of the class described, the combinationwith the fan-shaft and links secured thereto, of arms also attached tothe shaft but at a higher point, and arranged in a different verticalplane, and fan-blades adapted for attachment to the said links, andmeans for connecting the blades with the free ends of the arms,substantially as shown and described, to operate as specified.

JEFF DAVIS VILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

JOHN R. FRAZER, D. H. CRANE.

